Orchard-heater.



J. LJHAMILTO ORCHARD HEATER. APPLICATION FILED IAN.31,1912.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

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reminisce oration.

JAMES L. HRMICLTON, 0F GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TQ THE HAMILTON ORCHARD HEATER COMPANY, OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO, A CORPORATION 03 WEST VIRGINIA.

ORCHARD-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application tiled. January 81, 1913. (serial No. 674,531.

Eh all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. JAMns L. HAMILTGN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident the city of Grand Junction. in the county of Mesa and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Orchard-Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in orchard heaters. and the objectof my improvement is to provide a heater of simple andcompact construction adapted to burn heavy fuel oils such as are produced from petroleum in certain sections of the country.

Fuel oils of this nature ha e a heavy semiliquid base and it has been found that with orchard heaters as heretofore usually constructed. the surfacecombustion of the fuel in the receptacle or reservoir burns out the more volatile constituents first and asthe surface level of the fuel is thereby lowered the supply of air to the fire is not suiiicient for the efficient. combustion of the heavy fuel residue so that the temperature is considerably reduced and frequently the fire dies out entirely. M

My improved heater is so constructed that additional draft openings are automatically uncovered as the surface level of the oil in the reservoir is lowered by combustion. thereby admitting an additional supply of air as the oil becomes heavier and insuring the complete combustion of'all of the oil in the reservoir at substantially :r uniform rate.

My improved heater is shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings. in which:

' Figure 1 is a view partly in section showing the heater in its simpler form. Fig. 2 is a similar view partly in section showing the, heater arranged to burn with little or no smoke.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

The fuel receptacle or reservoir is made tapering as shown the bottom being the smaller. Draft openings 5 are provided near the upper rim of the fuel receptacle. These draft openings are referably grouped together as shown and each group of the openings is provided with a. pivoted damper 6 for the purpose of controlling the admission of air. to the reservoir and thereby regulating the rate of combustion of the fuel as desired. A tapering draft tube or chimney 7 is centrally located within the fuel receptacle. The larger end of this chimney rests on the bottom of the fuel reservoir and it extends a considerable distance above the top of the reservoir as l shown. That part of the chimney below the air will be drawn in at or near the surface level of the fuel in the reservoir. A hood 8 is provided. the lower part resting on the upper rim of the fuel reservoir while the smaller upper end fits closely around the chimney.

In the simpler form of the heater, shown in Fig. 1, the chimney 7 extends only. to the top of the hood 8. while in theheater shown in Fig; 2. the chimney 14 projects a short distance above the hood. The projecting part of the chimney is provided with numerous perforations 10 and has a second hood 11 -fitted over it. The smaller upper end of this hood fits closely around the up per end of the chimney. while its lower end which is notched or scalloped at i2 rests on thehood 8. This construction allows the draft of the chimney to draw within the hood 11 an ample supply of air which is drawn thence directly into the chimney through the numerous perforations 10 in such a manner as to become intimately mixed with the flame whereby the free carbon is substantially all consumed thusprac. tically eliminating smoke and genera-tinge maximum amount of heat from the fuel.

A cover 13 is provided for closingthe upper end of the chimney when the heater is not in use, thereby effectually preventing rain or snow from getting into the fuel reservoir. v

The tapering construction of the several parts comprising the heater is desirable it permits of their being nested compactly stacked together for storage or ship mcnt.

The heaters may be made of any desired size the preferred size being such it will hold suiticient of liquid fuel to burn at least 10 to 15 hours in order that it will. never he iii necessary to refill the heaters during the night.

Vihen the heaters are to used for frost protection a suitable number of them are properly distributed throughout the orchard or other crop it may he desired to protect The heater reservoirs 4 are then tilted with suitable oil to Within a short distance of the lower edge of the draft openings 5, and the covers put in place to prevent rain or snow from entering the reser voirs. When the temperature of the air fitllS to or near the danger point the covers are removed andthe surface of the oil within the chimney is lighted, which maybe done quickly and with certainty by injecting a smali amount of gasolene into the reservoir and immediately igniting it by means of a suitable torch. The combustion of the gasolene will generate suiiicient heat to ignite the heavy fuel oil when the coinhustion will proceed the rate of the coinhustion and the heat thereby generated being controlled by the pi oted dun'ipers 6 whereby more or less air may be admitted as desired. l .vel ot the oil is lowered by its ocmhnsr .m, more of the perforations 9 are uncovered, thereby continually admitting lore air into the chimney at the surface evcl of the fuel and thus maintaining an ollicient combustion of the oil entirely to the bottom of the reservoir.

By entirely closing the dampers 6 the supply of air to the reservoir will be cut oil and the tire thereupon extinguished.

Vihat l claim as my invention is:

1. An orchard heater comprising a liquid fuel reservoir having a plurality of draft openings arranged in a group near the top thereof, a pivoted damper for opening and closing the group of: said draft openings a perforated draft chimney centrally located Within said reservoir, and a hood having its lower edge closely fitting the top of the fuel reservoir and its top fitted closely around the draft chimney.

2. An orchard heater comprising a liquid fuel reservoir having draft openings near the top thereof, a pivoted damper for opening and closing said draft openings. a contrally located draft chimney provided with perforations below the top of the fuel reservoir, and a hood having .its lower edge closely fitting the top of the fuel reservoir and its top fitted closely around the draft chimney substantially as shown.

An orchard .r comprising a-liquid liuel reservoir n5 draft openings near the top thcreorh a pivoted damper for opening and closing said openings, a centrally located draft chimney provided With pertorations some located below the top of the fuel reservoir and others near the top of said chimney, a hood having its lower edge elsely fitting the top of the fuel rese; oir

and its top fitted closely around the draft chimney below the upper perforations, and

a second hood having its top closely titted around thetop of the draft-chimney and its base notched and resting on the first hood, substantially as shown.

Signed at Grand Junction in the county of Mesa. and Strte of Colorado this seventeenth day of January A. D. 1912.

JAMES L. HAMILTON. 

